Man says he heard his coworker get robbed and shot | News

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A man was shot and killed in an attempted robbery at an Avondale restaurant Monday morning -- and his co-worker heard the whole thing.

"I was sitting there just doing my job and next thing I know I hear some guy telling my partner to give him all his money," said Tyler Lumley.

Lumley works for his dad's company, Ed Lumley's Exhaust Cleaning Service. Police are still withholding the identity of the victim, but Lumley said his partner was 53-year-old Robert Sutton.

They were cleaning equipment at Mojo No. 4 BBQ Restaurant on St. Johns Avenue around 3 a.m. when someone tried to rob his partner.

"Next thing I know, I hear a gun shot and my buddy hits the ground," said Lumley.

Lumley said Sutton was outside pressure washing filters, but he was inside. When he heard the commotion he got under a countertop for what felt like 30 minutes.

"Finally I crawl out on my hands and knees and to see if anybody was around. Thank God he wasn't because if he would have seen me he would have shot me too," said Lumley.

Lumley said Sutton was a loyal employee of five years and all he ever wanted to do was work to provide for his family.

"It's the last thing you think of when you're trying to feed the family," added Lumley.

The owner of the company, Ed Lumley, said Sutton was the main employee of his family owned business. He said it was incredibly difficult to have to notify Sutton's wife that he had been killed.

"Robert, he didn't deserve to go out like that, I mean he was probably one of the best employees you could ever ask for. Out of five years I don't think he's ever missed a day of, work never late," said Ed Lumley.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call Crimestoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.